1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording system, a transmission apparatus, a recording apparatus, a recording control method, and a recording medium storing a program for recording content data transmitted from a transmission source on a transmission-destination side.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the widespread use of a data communication network, the use of a so-called home network for realizing communication between devices via a network of electric appliances, computers, and peripherals is increasing at home. Data processing functions of connected devices are shared by communication via a home network and content is exchanged between the devices via the home network, whereby convenience and comfortable use is provided to users.
For example, a utilization form for recording content stored in a content providing server in another device connected via a home network of various home electronic devices is available. For example, software data (hereinafter, referred to as content), such as audio data such as music data, image data such as movies, game programs, and various application programs, can be stored, as digital data, on recording media, e.g., a digital versatile disc (DVD), a mini disc (MD), and a compact disc (CD). In addition, a Blu-ray Disc® (hereinafter, referred to as a BD) for realizing high-density recording with the blue laser is put on the market. Digital content is stored on these various information recording media (recording media).
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing processing for recording content data transmitted from a transmission source on a transmission-destination side. For example, the transmission source may be a set top box (STB), referred to as a personal video recorder (PVR), having a function for recording broadcasted videos in a hard disk drive (HDD). The transmission destination may be, for example, a recorder having an HDD and a BD drive.
A method for “copying” content stored in a source device (transmission source) in a synchronization device (transmission destination) and a method for “moving” the content from the source device to the synchronization device so that the content is not left in the source device are available as content transmission methods.
A procedure of a case of accurately executing the “move” operation between two devices, namely, the source device and the synchronization device, will be described below.
At STEP S101, the source device specifies a recording destination medium of the synchronization device. In this example, the source device specifies a BD as the recording destination medium.
At STEP S102, the synchronization device confirms that the BD is inserted thereto before returning a status indicating “ready” to the source device.
At STEP S103, the source device confirms that the synchronization device is “ready” and starts transmitting content.
At STEP S104, the synchronization device records the content transmitted from the source device in the HDD. The synchronization device temporarily records the content in the HDD since the recording speed of the HDD is higher than that of the BD. For example, if 1-hour content of 6750 Mbytes encoded at 15 Mbps is recorded at a speed of 30 Mbps, transfer of the content to the HDD is finished in 540 seconds (here, it is assumed that the maximum transfer speed between the devices is equal to 100 Mbps although the recording speed of the HDD is higher than 100 Mbps).15 (Mbps)×3600 (seconds)/8=6750 (Mbytes)6750 (Mbytes)×8/100 (Mbps)=540 (seconds)
Since the source device has finished executing actual processing, a user can use the source device for a different purpose. However, deletion of the moved content from the source device is not allowed until the source device recognizes termination of the recording processing executed in the synchronization device.
At STEP S105, the synchronization device executes transcoding at the time of recording of the content from the HDD to the BD to make the format of the content compliant with the format of the BD.
At STEP S106, the synchronization device records the transcoded content data on the BD. Since the speed of transcoding and the recording speed of the BD are low, it takes, for example, 1800 seconds to finish transferring the content to the BD.
At STEP S107, the synchronization device transmits a completion signal to the source device after confirming completion of transferring of 100% of the content to the BD.
At STEP S108, the source device recognizes that transfer of the content is successfully completed by receiving the completion signal from the synchronization device and deletes the content from the source device.
After the termination of the move operation, the user can operate the source device. However, the user is kept waiting for 1800 seconds (30 minutes) until termination of writing of the content on the BD although it takes 540 seconds (9 minutes) to finish transferring the content.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-125833 discloses an example of a recording apparatus.